Lakeside
by RobPHunter
Summary: Voldemort's dead, yet everyone seems to be against Harry, all but one, a Slytherin who want the hero. Lakeside talks, langauge and some drug abuse. ONESHOT


Lake Side

Harry leant against the tree his eyes wandering over the students playing in the sun. he despised them, they were all so happy, all so cheerful, they didn't have his guilt, his memories, his life. He supposed he should have been celebrating, his nemesis Lord Voldemort was dead, but at Harry's hands, along with near a hundred Death Eaters.

He had felt Voldemort's windpipe collapse under his hands, once Voldemort dies so did everyone with a grade one and two Dark Mark. In other words Harry had killed the Dark Lord, his council and Inner circle, all in a matter of seconds and single handed. It was only later he realised, that in this action he had taken the lives of fathers, mothers, peoples brothers and sisters and children.

From there Harry's life had gone from bad to worse. Over the holidays after Voldemort's demise he had developed somewhat of a drink problem, as well as a reliance on drugs, smoking anything he could, ranging from plain tobacco to weed. On his birthday he had sought to end his life by slitting his wrists, one of the reasons he now had tattoos running up his arms. Bloody Dumbledore and his bloody nurse had saved his life.

It was now June and exams were over and people were preparing to got home in a matter of weeks. He pulled out his hipflask, which was charmed to refill automatically with Whisky or rum. Take along long drink he put it back in the pocket of his jeans and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

He slid down the trunk of the tree sitting with one leg out and the other bent up in front. He sighed, he knew what day it was, why people were celebrating, why Ron and Hermione were nowhere to be found, and why he, Harry was sitting alone, hiding from the world in the shadow of the Forbidden Forest on the shore of the lake.

It was a year today Harry had killed Voldemort. He had as well forced the Weasleys and Hermione to turn their back on him. He had killed Ginny. In Harry's opinion it was her own fault. It wasn't his fault she had become a Death Eater. Somehow it was though, if he had followed their plan, he and Ginny would be alive and engaged, it was his many rejection that had turned her from the light to the dark.

Apparently, to Lord Voldemort she had come begging to him, to take her into his circle, using her, not only as a spy, but also to Harry's disgust a vessel to bring his heir into the world. Harry had nearly vomited at the thought of Voldemort and Ginny writhing together in the heat of passion. He had killed both of them in one go though, along with any chance of a second coming.

He smiled sadly at the thought of what sweet innocent Ginerva Weasley had become. People change. Harry smiled. He had changed since he had been in the wizarding world. He had gone from shy, insecure and innocent little eleven year old and now a mere six years later, he was a confident, cold and had lost all trace of his innocence. He smiled as he remembered how he had been comforted by Tonks after Sirius, why couldn't she have been there after the fight.

The pink haired Auror had died in the final siege. Effectively killing all of Harry's hope of being loved. What was love anyway? He'd be damned if he knew.

And even if he knew who would love him? He was a freak, even by wizarding standards. There was no hope for him, he had decided to face the facts. He would have liked to be a husband someday, a father as well. He snorted at the idea of Harry Potter with kids. Like that would ever happen.

He tore himself away from his thoughts, pulling a ready rolled cigarette from behind his ear, some with ground Mandrake leaf in. it was far more relaxing than weed ever was. He brought it to his lips and pulled his Zippo out, he looked at it smiling, he had brought it for Tonks on her birthday, and since she had left most of her stuff to him he treasured it. Flicking it open and alight he lit the tip of the splif and inhaled.

"Well, well, Harry Potter, Gryffindor Golden Boy and poster child for the light smoking, which is against school rules, what is a Prefect to do?" a feminine voice interrupted his thoughts and his peace.

He looked up to see Daphne Greengrass, Slytherin prefect and one of the only students in the green and silver house who didn't thirst for Harry's blood. She stood a head shorted than him, was slim and petite and had dirty blonde hair. Her blue eyes looked down at him, mischief evident.

Harry sighed. "You could always sit down and join me." Harry suggested. Digging into his pocket for his tin and offered it to her.

She smiled at him, sitting down, pulling her legs under her and stopping her short skirt from riding up to far. Harry was sure he caught a flash of red satin though. "I suppose I could, what is it anyway?" she smiled as she opened the tin and started rolling, mixing the tobacco and leaf together.

"Muggle tobacco and Mandrake leaf, freshly picked this morning from the school green house." Harry told her inhaling again and then puffing out thick smoke rings.

Daphne laughed as she saw this. "Neat trick," she told him finally sealing her cigarette and holding her hand out for Harry's lighter. He hesitated in giving it to her, nobody had touched it besides him since Tonks had died.

"I'm not going to break it." she told him soothingly. She took in his face and the shine of a tear in his eyes. "It belonged to someone special didn't it?"

Harry swallowed a large lump that had formed in his throat at the thought of his beloved Tonks. He nodded and then leaned closer to her, lighting the cigarette for her.

"Want to talk about it?" Daphne asked him.

Harry looked at her strangely. "A Slytherin asking a Gryffindor if he needs help? What's wrong with this picture?" he asked bitterly.

"Well I'm not exactly a typical Slytherin, and you sure as hell aren't a typical Gryffindor," Daphne smiled at him, he found himself watching her lips as they moved.

"Why not, I thought it was Slytherin policy to hate me. I some how offed at least one realative on their family last year." Harry told her. "How are you different?"

Daphne smiled. "While you did, 'off' as you so delicately put it, a family member of mine, you also freed me. I never believed the pureblood shite anyway."

"How come?" Harry asked genuinely interested.

"My mother dies when I was four, I don't know how, but I think it had something to do with the fact she tried leaving my father, taking me with her."

"You think he killed her?" Harry inquired.

Daphne smiled vindictiveness showing on her face. "I don't think, I know. He might had well told me when I was fifteen."

"What happened?"

"He told me about an arranged marriage. The guy was thirty years older than me and a Death Eater. I tried to refuse, but he threatened me, his exact words were, 'you're mother defied me, look what I did to her, I'll do the same to you.' Let's just say you indirectly killing the inner circle got me out of two sticky situations." Daphne smiled, though she was crying at forgotten dredged up memories.

Harry, reacting on impulse pulled her into a hug, they stayed like that for a while, her crying into his shirt. He rubbed her back soothingly, as he did she seemed to relax into his arms. He realised there was a low, steady humming sound coming from her. He listened closer and laughed.

She pushed off his and looked slightly offended. "What?"

He smiled and used the pad of his thumb to brush a tear away. "You were purring."

The Slytherin blushed. "Was not."

Harry smiled. "Were too, any particular reason?"

Daphne looked down at the splif in her hand. "My mother, she used to do that when I was little, it felt nice." she didn't mention the fact she had enjoyed the feeling of protection that had enveloped her along with Harry's arms.

"Well I'm glad I reminded you of something good from long ago." Harry smiled, the purring had reminded him of Tonks, she had often purred after they had made love, him pulling her close and her purring with content.

"So who was it you lost?" Daphne asked out of interest.

Harry smiled. " My Fiancée."

Daphne's shock must have registered because he laughed. "You were engaged? How was that not in the paper? Who was she?"

"Her name was Nymphadora Tonks. She was six years older than us, a metamorphagus and an Auror."

Daphne smiled. "You really don't do things by half. An older woman who could change her shape. Any man would kill to be you."

Harry smiled. "I guess that's one of the things that drew me to her and her to me. While she didn't see me as Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived, I didn't see her like most see a Metamorphagus, like a sex toy. She was perfect to me no matter what form she was in." he shook his head. "Man I had a massive crush on her since summer of fifth year, then Easter holidays that year we hooked up."

Daphne smiled, it was obvious that Harry had loved this woman with all of his heart. "When did you get engaged?"

Harry smiled. "She said she didn't was a conventional engagement, didn't want a ring, I asked her what she wanted and she said the first thing that came to mind. 'A Zippo!' So on her birthday I took her out to a restaurant, as I guessed once we were out she needed a smoke." he smirked suddenly.

"What did you do?"

"Earlier I had nicked all the lighters I could find. So she would have no choice but ask me for one. I pulled it out and tossed it at her." Harry pulled out the lighter he had been using and threw it at Daphne, before he realised what he was doing.

She caught it easily. She held it up and saw an inscription on the side she looked at it closely.

**Nym Tonks**

**You are my flame in the dark**

**You are my love**

**Will you marry me?**

"I told her to look at it, which she did, she never got round to having that cigarette." he smiled as he held his hand out for the lighter, which Daphne gingerly placed gently in his hand. His finger wrapped round it and he brought it to his chest.

"How did she go?" Daphne asked gently.

"Fighting. She went down at the hands of Voldemort, I was by her side the whole time. Just sitting there in the middle of the battle field, me crying over her body as the last breath left her." tears were running freely down his face. "I killed him, I killed him for you, Nym." Harry had leant forwards, falling to his knees. He was looking up at the sky as he spoke. "I got that bastard for you, and you only."

Daphne slowly made her way over to Harry and took his head in her arms pulling him close, he clutched at her and cried. Daphne was rocking him gently. "That's right, Harry, let it all out. You don't have to be strong anymore."

They sat there for what seemed like hours, the Boy-Who-Lived crying into the arms of the outcast of Slytherin.

After a while Harry sat up and smiled at her. "Thank you." he said quietly. He leant in and kissed her softly on the lips, it was a chaste kiss of thanks, but when he withdrew her face was bright red and he was smiling softly.

She then pulled him to her forcefully, smashing her lips into his in a scorching kiss. She slipped her tongue along his lips, seeking entry. He complied, the two battling for dominance for a few seconds before settling into taking it in turns to explore the other mouth. After several minutes the two came up for air. Harry looked star struck, he looked at her then shook his head as if clearing it. And upset look passed over his face, looking horrified at what he had just done.

He stood up. "I…I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

He sped away, leaving Daphne to wonder who he was apologising to, her or Tonks.

**Hogwarts Express**

Harry was sat in the end compartment at the end of the train, enjoying his own company, he was flicking through his photo album. Thinking about years gone by. He smiled glancing down at the pictures of his parents and himself as a baby. He had often wondered what would have happened if things had stayed that way. Would he have met Tonks, if not would he be willing to give up the time he and she had had together to have his parents back.

Harry hated to think about such a choice. But now there was Daphne, an unknown factor in his life, well what used to be his life. What was his life now? He had often thought about that. His life in the future, if things had gone according to plan he and Tonks would be married within a week of him leaving Hogwarts, Ron and Hermione would visit them and they would all go round to the Burrow every Sunday.

He snorted, that was out the window, the Weasleys hated him and his all year round invitation to the Burrow had been revoked. every time Ron or Hermione saw him they had either ignored him or glared at him. He didn't know which was worse. Harry knew the only Weasleys who still trusted him were the Twins and that was because they had see Ginny fighting against the light, but their family dismissed them.

Now his life looked like a life-time at Grimmauld Place, much like Sirius's last days had been. But what about Daphne.

Ever since the kiss he had avoided her. Every waking moment was taken up with thoughts of either Tonks or Daphne. He could date Daphne, he could not betray Tonks memory. Frustrated he punched the wooden panel of the wall dividing his compartment with the one in front. His hand caused a few cracks to appear but asides from that nothing. He looked down at his hand which was rapidly going red.

Harry looked down and continued looking through his album. There was a photo of himself and Hedwig. He smiled as he thought of his beloved owl. She was out there somewhere, planning on meeting him at Grimmauld Place. She had been the one constant through out his entire life in the wizarding world, she had stuck by him the entire time.

The was a photo of the Golden Trio, when they were exactly that, the Golden Trio. Those days were over now. Ron and Hermione, after all they had been through had turned on him, as he knew they would after seeing what he was capable of. Even before killing Voldemort, he had horrified them both by sending Dark curses at the Death Eaters, doing more damage to the Death Eaters than anyone else. He had tortured one, putting the imperio curse on him, making him eat his own intestines. Having a connection to Voldemort was certainly beneficial when thinking of torture methods.

There were pictures of the Weasleys, pictures of Ginny, pictures of Hagrid, who went down fighting giants, There were pictures of the teams he had led into battles, the Gryffindor Quidditch team in each change it had had. And there was Tonks, lot's and lots of Tonks. There was Sirius and Remus. To him all these people were dead either in actuality or just to him.

Was his life even worth it all anymore, during the battle he had a reason to fight, he had Tonks, then briefly vengeance for Tonks, then nothing. He had slit his wrists in hope of dieing, but no luck, again Harry cursed the headmaster, he smiled. Once alone Harry would try again and succeed this time. He would be with Tonks.

One way or another.

**River Themes **

Harry looked over the River Themes, it was on this bank that he and Tonks had shared their first kiss, and it would be here Harry would breath his last. He walked over to the very edge, so he was over looking the river. He conjured a rock and then a rope. Tying the rope to himself and the rock he levitated the rock and let it drop, just as he jumped off the edge, following the rock.

He watched as the moon disappeared and soon he was at the bottom of the river, unable to breathe, he felt a tightness in his lungs, the peacefulness of the impending death and the rushing light coming towards him.

Suddenly he was in the bedroom he and Tonks had shared at Grimmauld Place, Tonks lying on the bed dressed in the silver and gold dress she had worn the night he had proposed.

"Nym?" Harry couldn't believe his eyes. She stood up and walked over to him. "Merlin, Nym, is it really you?"

Tonks smiled. "It's me, Harry." she kissed his tenderly on the jaw, trailing kissed down until they met the hollow of his throat where she caught a loose bit of skin with her teeth. She let go. "Why are you here, Harry?"

Harry looked at her in confusion. "I couldn't live my life with out you, Nym. I love you. You were the only thing that kept me going."

"I love you too, Harry. But you can't stay here. You don't belong here for a few more decades." she smiled kissing him again then breaking away. "What about Ron, Hermione, the Weasleys? They love you."

Harry shook his head, the tears of happiness turning to tears of sadness. "They've left me, they saw what I could do and they left me. They blame me for Ginny's death."

Tonks looked shocked, then angery. "Those bastards. They need some serious haunting done to them."

Harry chuckled, that sounded like his Nym. "I feel terrible, Nym. There's guilt from all side coming at me, that's why I didn't want to go on. I need to be here with you."

Tonks stroked his cheek. "I wish you could stay, I wish I could come with you, but you have joy to bring to another Harry. She needs you. I watched you by the lake."

Harry felt his heart sink, she had seen that? "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have kiss-"

Tonks silenced him by putting a finger over his lips, "Yes, Harry, you should have." She smiled. "She loves you, Harry. She had for years, you can't dwell on me. Sooner or later we will meet again, you can introduce me to your other lady friend, who knows, we might be able to think of something for the three of us to do." Tonks winked saucily.

"I love you, Tonks." Harry said simply, kissing her once more.

Tonks smiled. "I know you do. Go live for the both of us, Lover Boy."

There was a flash and Harry was back under the Themes. Determination flashed in his eyes. He would live, he would live for Tonks. He would live for Daphne. He whipped out his wand and sliced the ropes that bound him to the bottom. He kicked off, swimming up. He broke the surface breathing hard.

Harry didn't know if what he had see was real or not, but he would live. He would live a life Tonks would have lived. His plans had changed. he would find Daphne, date her, maybe if things progressed, marry her. He would piss of everybody who had turned their back on him. He smirked, as plans fell into place. The Chudley Cannons had an opening for a Seeker.

But first he needed to get out of this water and into dry clothes.

**Loch Ness**

Daphne looked down at the cigarette in her hand, smiling she remembered Potter. Her Uncle with who she was now temporarily living lived near Loch Ness and Daphne spent many house sitting on the edge of the lake, her eyes scanning over it, usually smoking. Harry never had asked for his tin back.

Daphne smiled down at the tin containing tobacco and ground Mandrake root, she had gone into a Muggle town every week or so to buy more Muggle Tobacco. The tin was a copper colour with engraving of a snitch carved into the front, Harry's initials were engraved on the side, just a simple: **HJP** , but she got chills run up and down her spine each time she ran her finger of the letters. This was his, and she wanted him to be hers.

Ever since that day by the lake she had thought of nothing but him. It would have been funny if she was the type of girl that flitted from boy to boy, but Daphne wasn't. she set her eyes on boys she could see herself with in years to come. But until the death of Voldemort she hadn't done anything of the sort, she knew she would have to go through her father and her intended.

It was different and now she had talked to Harry Potter. She had seen herself reflected in those eyes, the need to grow up too fast and the mourning of a lost childhood.

She rolled a cigarette while deep in though, throwing a crumb of tobacco at the baby sea serpent that was basking in the shallows. The daft things were always letting themselves be seen, especially recently. The baby's father was reckless and had a obsession with land dwellers, loving to watch them. Daphne found it hilarious how the Muggles reacted to them.

She lit up the rolled smoke and put it to her lips.

"That'll kill you." Daphne turned and stopped seeing **him**. He was smiling softly and searchingly as if expecting her to shout at him or hit him. He had a tight muggle shirt on with the sleeves torn off and neck cut turning it into a V-neck. Tattoos showed on his arms, as she scanned down him she appreciated how snugly his black jeans fit him along with black sneakers which had a logo with the word All Stars on them.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded coldly.

Harry's smile faltered. "I wanted to apologise, about that day on the lake. I wanted to say sorry for kissing you, it wasn't my pl-"

"I was the kisser remember? You were the Kissee." She told him.

He raised an eyebrow. "Is that even a word?" he teased.

"It is now."

Harry chuckled. "I also wanted to say sorry for leaving like I did, I had some thinking to do. It took a cold bath and a word of a friend to make me realise I had made a mistake, that I would regret for the rest of my life."

"That mistake was?" Daphne was still being snappy and bitchy, she wasn't going to make this easy for him.

"It was thinking I was betraying Tonks if I allowed myself to like you. I then, only last night realised I would betraying her and everything she stood for if I didn't live my life." Harry stepped closer.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I like you, Greengrass. You're beautiful, sarcastic, won't have a go at me about my bad habits and only see me as Harry."

"Took a while."

He sat down, pulling her with him, she leant against him, Harry smiled as she lay her head against his chest. "I suppose it did. But I plan to make it up to you." he pulled her face up and kissed her gently. "Want to run away to the Muggle world?"

She smiled as she pulled herself closer. "I thought you'd never ask.

A/N: I got board and wanted to write something about Harry falling for a Slytherin girl.. Review.


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